Who’s Steph

Who’s Steph ran a fine race to finish second behind the highly talented Eziyra in the Group 2 Blandford Stakes. Held up early on by Colin Keane, Ger Lyons’ filly travelled well into the home straight, and she stayed on well for pressure from the 2f marker. She was a little wider than ideal, but she stayed on strongly inside the final furlong to move from fourth place to second by the time they reached the winning line, just three parts of a length behind the winner.

It was a fine run by George Strawbridge’s filly on her first run in three and a half months, and her first attempt at 10f. She could finish only seventh behind Alpha Centauri in the Irish 1000 Guineas on her previous run, but she had won the two Guineas trials at Leopardstown before that. She is lightly raced, Sunday’s run was just her sixth run ever, and she has plenty of potential to progress further now. She stayed this 10f well, and she raced as if she could stay 12f. Her breeding gives her a chance of staying too. There is plenty of speed in her pedigree, but she is a half-sister to Thunder Crash, who won over 12f at Dundalk last October, and her dam was placed over 13f. Who’s Steph has form on soft ground too, she won the Ballylinch Stud Guineas Trial at Leopardstown on heavy ground, and she will be of interest wherever she goes next.

The Curragh, 16^th September 2018